The Traveller
by LovesNotMyThing
Summary: Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe in magic? Do you believe in a chance encounter between a runaway girl and a travelling Knight whose destiny's are intertwined till the end? If not you will. Both women will embark on a journey to the very heart of evil where they will face the greatest foe their land has ever seen. SwanQueen.


**Disclaimer - I own nothing of Once Upon A Time.**

**OOO**

Regina ran dodging branches and trees, her riding boots sinking into the overgrown ground cover. Her breathing was labored and her throat burnt from her rough intake of oxygen but still she refused to stop. She wouldn't stop. She couldn't stop. She had to leave that life behind her, she refused to be joined with that man and refused to be at the whim of her mother. The exact mother that had just minutes ago ripped out the heart of her one true love all in the name 'what is good for you'. _How does she know what is good for me? Only I know what is good for me. Daniel. I am so sorry. _Defiance. Defiance was a tricky thing.

Slipping she reached out catching herself in the thick foliage below her feet, feeling the familiar pop as bone seperated from bone something that she was used from all her time riding horses. She let out a weak cry knowing that those footfalls she was running from weren't far behind her.

Cradling her right wrist to her body she crawled towards a fallen tree trunk and slid in behind it, whimpering lightly at the pain that was jolting through her body. She was sore all over truthfully. She wasn't unfit but her body just wasn't made for running through thick woodland. Her body wasn't made for outrunning the King's soldiers and her mother.

"Find the traitor!" A loud voice boomed. A very loud - very close voice.

Regina squeezed her eyes closed, cradled her wrist closer to her chest in her left hand and prayed that this wasn't the last moment she had in this life. _If it is I will be with you soon my love. _Regina opened her eyes to find a King's dressed soldier raising his sword above his head. Defiance was truly a powerful thing.

The soldier fell forward with a small clunk on top of Regina followed by a few grunts from the surrounding soldiers. Pushing the soldier off of her she scoured her surrounding areas as more King's men dropped to the ground motionless. A thick rope finally dropped into her field of vision followed closely by an armor clad Knight sailing down such rope.

"Grab my hand!"

Regina blinked curiously until the Knight withdrew two arrows from the quiver strapped to their back - aimed the bow, attached the arrows, pulled back and released impaling the two King's soldiers charging the fallen tree trunk.

"Now!" The Knight screamed down at the brunette.

Regina didn't need to be told twice. She took hold of the Knight's hand and was hoisted up when the Knight gave a quick and sharp kick to small contraption located within the foliage shooting them upwards and into the tree's as arrows sailed past them unable to find a target.

With a finger to their mouth the Knight shushed the woman across from her. As an exquisitively dressed woman in non-armor appeared in a puff of smoke in the surrounding clearing of bodies and shaped earth.

"No dear don't make this harder then it is. The King's men will make sure for a quick and simple death."

The Knight's head snapped around to Regina grabbing the woman upper arms and squeezing she ground out between clenched teeth. "The King's men?"

Regina swallowed and awaited final judgement. By the looks of things she was either going to die at the hands of the woman below her, the King's soldiers or the brave Knight that had saved her only to find out who they were saving her from.

With a sigh the Knight shook it's head, "Just remain quiet and follow me."

Regina watched as the Knight crawled from branch to branch. If she knew the woman below her as well as she thought she did it wouldn't matter were she went. The woman would always find her. Was it right to endanger a brave Knight who believed they were doing the right thing? Was it right to endanger anybody's life? Especially at the hands of...her.

Reluctantly Regina followed the Knight from tree to tree for a sometime before the Knight dropped of with a small clatter landing on the dirt road that was made for horse carriages. Regina found an outstretched hand towards and took it cautiously as the Knight gracefully helped her down from the tree.

The moment boots hit the ground questions surrounded the area in tense bouts. "Why were the King's men after you? Your traitor to the Empire? Who was that woman? What did you do? Who are you?"

Regina replied in kind with her own question, "Who are you?"

The Knight withdrew their sword and pointed it towards Regina. "Answer mine and I shall contemplate answering yours."

"I have no idea why the King's men are after me. I am no traitor to the Empire. That woman was my mother. I didn't do anything but defy her. My name is Regina Mills." Regina straightened herself out, if she was going to die, she was going to die with her dignity and her courage intact. "Now will you answer my question?"

The Knight considered the answers they were given. Furrowing their brow underneath their helmet. A few minutes passed and the sword moved away from the lithe body in from of them and extended to the side as the Knight bowed. "My name is Emma Swan. _Ser _Emma Swan."

"Ser?"

The Knight stood and nodded. "There are not many female Knights out there and until they come up with titles for us women it will remain _Ser_."

"Why not Madam?" Regina inquired curiously.

With a smile Emma bowed once. "Very well. My name is Madam Emma Swan."

"Whose Knight are you? The King's?"

Emma shook her head. "I belong to no land. I'm just..." she gave some thought to her answer. _How much can I tell this girl? How much can I trust this girl? Should I believe that she is innocent? The King's men were after her after all. Play it safe Emma. _"...travelling. I'm a traveller. A drifter if you will. I belong to no land. Belong to no one."

Regina could tell there was more to the story but decided against asking especially when she had no weapon and the Knight in front of her did so. She wasn't going to tempt fate by questioning the truthfulness in the female Knight's words. "Very well may I tag along for a while?"

"I'll take you to the nearest town and drop you off. From there on end your on your own." Emma stated. She had no time to babysit but she couldn't very well leave the young girl out by herself in the Enchanted Forest it was a death sentence with Bandit's who weren't even the worst thing out there no even Ogre's were.

Regina wasn't about to argue she should be grateful to get this much from a stranger. "Very well lead on Madam Swan."

**Okay first story and first chapter ever I hope you all enjoyed. Snow White and Charming will make an appearance in one of the next two chapters but not in the way you think they will.**


End file.
